I'd gotten some incredible information from Giedt, but on reflection, I hadn't really learnt anything significant. That evening, Rille-nee brought home some news.
"Apparently, an envoy from Galesh has come to the palace."
It was while we were making dinner together.
"...What for?"
I stirred the pot of soup twice while thinking it over, but no plausible reason came to mind.
"They're here to discuss the wedding plans. It was postponed because of the situation in El Alley business, right? Apparently, this visit is also to check on the current situation too."
"Huh, I had no idea. Envoys come and go this quietly?"
There's no grand procession or flashy welcome? Well, that was just how I imagined it would go.
"They came several times before the epidemic too. The doctor in charge of the inner palace was always talking about it at the Medical Department."
Well, I suppose they would have to meet face-to-face for all the discussions, and since there's no phones here, the only option they had was to travel back and forth even if it's a hassle. So they don't go out of their way to give them a grand welcome every time or go around telling lowly personnel in unrelated departments.
"An envoy from Galesh, hm... will they be meeting Princess Philia too?"
"Who knows. I don't know the details, but it is worrying."
Just as Rille-nee feared. This was the worst possible time for them to come.
"I wonder what Gis-nee and the Princess are doing."
"Mm... if I had to guess, there are two possibilities. Either they're keeping Gis-nee close by to calm the Princess down, or they're keeping Gis-nee away from her so the scandal doesn't leak to the envoy."
"Which one seems more likely?"
"The second one, probably. If that's the case, then there are three possible scenarios for Gis-nee."
"Start with the best."
"Best case scenario: confinement. Next, exile from the capital. The worst, I don't even want to imagine."
Even Rille-nee fell silent at that. Surely it wouldn't come to that. But we live in a world where even unpredictable things can happen. We can't let our guard down.
"I'm requesting an audience tomorrow. I'll go directly to His Majesty and ask him to let me see Gis-nee and the Princess."
"Is that even possible?"
"It is. It's a mage privilege. If I officially frame it as an urgent magic tool matter, I don't think he'll refuse. Though I don't know if he will actually see me with the envoy here."
Still, I had to act. From what I'd heard of the way the palace handled things so far, leaving everything up to them was downright terrifying.
"If that doesn't work, I'll ambush Chancellor Leonard and force him to at least spit out where Gis-nee is."
"Ambush?"
"I'll interrogate him with that kind of intensity. Or maybe I'll try to get in touch with Alec."
It was his older sister we were talking about, so there was no way he knew nothing. Mind you, it wasn't as if meeting Alec was easy either. In the end, charging into the Chancellor's estate outside the palace was still the easiest route.
"Even if all of that fails, I'll try find some opening and scout around the Central Palace. Maybe I'll just find Gis-nee that way, or even if not, if she's been brought to the palace at any point there might be witnesses. Right now, every scrap of information counts, so let's gather what we can."
Then, Rille-nee, who has been listening to me while remaining still, murmured.
"...I think I'll try sneaking into the inner palace too."
The words she'd said was so unlike her and it caught me off guard.
"Ah, in a legitimate way, of course?"
Noticing my anxiety, Rille-nee hurried to explain herself.
"You know the doctor in charge of the inner palace? I'll plead with them somehow and have them take me along as their assistant. Even if Gis-nee isn't there, I should be able to see Princess Philia at least, right? So..."
True, I could come up with all sorts of excuses, like consultations or looking up materials in the archives, to easily slip into the Central Palace, but the inner palace was off-limits to me without permission.
If Rille-nee could investigate over there, it would be very efficient. Efficient, yes, but...
"Do you really think it will work?"
When I asked, Rille-nee was at a loss for words. So even she thought it was a stretch.
The doctor in charge of the inner palace examined the King and Queen's health daily, so the role went to a trusted veteran. Bringing along a new assistant out of nowhere, especially someone about to leave the department, with no compelling reason, was probably not going to happen. Even if Rille-nee is friends with the Princess, it would be a tough sell.
"...Actually, Rille-nee. Couldn't you get information out of General Owen?"
The idea slipped out as I was setting two bowls of soup on the table. He was supposed to be related to the royal family. His position was high too, so he probably had information of some kind.
I'd rather not have Rille-nee getting close to him, but this was an emergency. It couldn't be helped.
Or so I thought, but the moment I brought up the General's name, Rille-nee froze for an instant.
"...Right."
She gave a vague reply and set down two spoons. What was that?
"...Did something happen?"
I felt like she'd reacted this way before. Wasn't it when we were talking about whether she should quit her job for the shop?
"Nothing."
I tried asking for more details this time but she just brushed me off with a sweet smile.
"You're right. If I happen to see the General, I'll ask him about this casually. And I'll try to get into the inner palace too, even if it's a long shot."
"...Thanks. Don't push yourself, okay?"
Hm, she really didn't seem to want to talk about it. How was I going to get her to spill?
I mulled it over a bit as I ate my soup. The seat across from me was Gis-nee's, so it was empty. Ah, that's it.
"What happened with the necklace the General gave you?"
I'd completely forgotten about it, but had Rille-nee returned the blue gem charm she'd been given before we left for El Alley? She kept it under her clothes in El Alley, so I don't know if she's still wearing it.
"I gave it back ages ago. That was the agreement, wasn't it?"
"Huh? But he seemed dead set on giving it to you. He actually took it back?"
"He wouldn't take it at first, but it didn't make sense for me to keep it. So I gave it back to him... I told him to give the charm to someone he really wanted to protect."
Hm, hmm? Hold on. Doesn't that basically mean...
"You turned the General down?"
The instant I said it, Rille's calm demeanour vanished and her chair rattled.
"Th-that's not what it was!"
But that wasn't something she would have said to him if she hadn't noticed his feelings for her. Maybe Rille-nee had finally caught on after being stalked all the way to El Alley? She hadn't seemed aware right after we'd met him over there, but maybe she'd thought it through carefully afterwards.
"The General doesn't have those kinds of intentions. Even I know that."
And yet, Rille-nee remained stubborn.
"I know, but, just to be safe... I thought it wasn't right to accept the gift, so I gave it back. That's all."
So, in other words, you turned him down. Rille-nee doesn't have any reason to accept a gift from him. It would be a nuisance if she did. That was that. I couldn't care less about the General's feelings or intentions. There was only one thing that did.
"You really liked that necklace. Are you sure?"
When I asked in confirmation, Rille-nee's eyes wavered, and,
"............Yes."
eventually she gave a small nod and picked up her spoon again. If Rille-nee said it was fine, there was nothing more for me to say.
It would be cruel to ask for information from the man she'd turned down, so I shouldn't count on getting any information from him.
The General was, as always, useless.